Chapter 121: The Three “Sworn Brothers” of the Alley

When He Guan saw that fleeting shadow, cold sweat immediately broke out across his back.

He fastened his belt, subtly jerked his chin toward Liu Bo, and continued walking down the alley as if nothing had happened.

Liu Bo immediately understood and said, “Let’s get back quickly. It’s getting late.”

The two quickened their pace.

Seeing them speed up, the shadow behind them noticed the glow of lights ahead. Beyond the alley was a broad main road. Worried about losing track of the pair, he could only jog quickly to catch up.

When he reached the alley entrance, he could no longer see He Guan or Liu Bo and felt greatly disappointed.

At that very moment, Liu Bo and He Guan suddenly sprang out from the left and right.

Each took a large stride forward. One covered the stalker’s mouth, while the other drove a punch directly into his stomach.

The blow sent stomach acid churning within him and robbed him of any ability to resist.

The two men dragged the stalker back into the depths of the dark alley.

Liu Bo sat astride him, pinning him down.

He Guan directly kicked him with his leather boots.

A vicious beating followed.

The man was beaten until he cried for his parents and repeatedly begged for mercy.

“Who are you? Why were you following us?” Liu Bo grabbed a handful of the man’s hair.

He was puzzled.

He had already reported the operation to Major Yingzuo Eiichi. Logically speaking, Imperial agents would not be tailing him.

Then again, it was hard to say.

The Empire’s intelligence organizations were complicated and did not answer to one another. Perhaps he had been targeted by a different intelligence agency.

“No one told me to follow you.” The man hurriedly replied. “I followed you on my own.”

“Damn your mother, still acting tough?” He Guan pulled out his issued Browning pistol and pressed the muzzle directly against the man’s forehead.

Feeling the cold muzzle against his forehead, Fang Muheng was terrified.

Cold sweat streamed down his face.

Ignoring the pain from the beating, he trembled and said, “D... don’t shoot. I... I heard that you killed a Japanese man. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I overheard it by accident, and then I wanted to join you.”

At first he was somewhat frightened.

But the more Fang Muheng spoke, the more smoothly the words came.

Since childhood, this had been his nature.

His tongue and pen were both exceptionally sharp.

Once his emotions were stirred and his passion ignited, his courage actually grew tremendously.

Hearing this, He Guan froze for a moment, put away the Browning pistol, and looked at Liu Bo.

This was an unexpected situation.

Killing a Japanese rōnin was no small matter.

Now that this fellow had “overheard” it, a more ruthless person would simply silence him permanently.

But He Guan clearly did not possess that sort of ruthlessness.

Moreover, hearing that the man wanted to join them, he actually felt somewhat delighted.

Had he established a base of operations?

Was he about to build an anti-Japanese force of his own?

However, He Guan knew that planning was not his strong suit.

He turned to Liu Bo.

Liu Bo was experienced and clever.

During the period when Cheng Qianfan had been absent from Hangzhou, Liu Bo had actively cultivated the relationship, and the friendship between the two men had progressed rapidly.

Liu Bo climbed off Fang Muheng and watched him awkwardly struggle to his feet, rubbing his aching hands and the muscles of his bruised waist and abdomen.

He had already reached a further conclusion.

This man was probably not a tester sent by an Imperial intelligence agency.

Even with the extraordinary capabilities of Imperial intelligence operatives, it would be difficult to find someone capable of portraying such a reckless and clumsy fool.

This did not look like acting.

He genuinely was that clumsy and reckless.

Who hears two strangers talking and immediately runs over to pledge allegiance and ask to join them?

What if they were bluffing?

Or deliberately setting a trap?

Wouldn’t that be courting disaster?

If this really was an act, Liu Bo felt compelled to applaud him.

His acting skills would be astonishing.

“What, you still don’t believe me?” Fang Muheng grew anxious. “I’m a reporter for Shen Bao. My name is Fang Muheng. My father is Fang Guohua of Fangrun Food Factory.”

Liu Bo was now certain.

This absolutely could not be an Imperial agent.

This was simply a fool.

Even He Guan felt the man was recklessly impulsive.

The fellow had revealed his identity so casually.

If the Japanese ever learned of it and later sought revenge, the entire Fang family might be implicated and killed.

“You truly want to join us?” Liu Bo looked at Fang Muheng. “Brother Fang, you should understand that this is extremely dangerous.”

“With the nation facing calamity, Fang Muheng is willing to sacrifice his family fortune to help save it.” Fang Muheng declared passionately. “I’ve only regretted never having had the opportunity before. Now that I’ve encountered two heroes such as yourselves, Muheng is willing to contribute to this great undertaking.”

Hearing this, Liu Bo felt somewhat dizzy.

Had this Chinese man read too many adventure novels?

He Guan, however, found the man entirely to his liking.

Laughing heartily, he said, “Well said! With a talented man like Brother Fang among us, why should we fear failing to eliminate the Japanese invaders and accomplish great things?”

The battered and bruised Fang Muheng was overjoyed.

He clasped hands with He Guan.

The two men actually felt a certain mutual admiration.

Standing to one side, Liu Bo applauded and cheered.

Meanwhile, he was thinking that if all anti-Japanese Chinese were this innocent, or foolish, the Empire’s conquest of China would proceed several times faster.

The three men quickly put their earlier misunderstanding behind them and conversed happily.

All three possessed passionate hearts.

All three hated Japan’s invasion of China.

All three were willing to contribute their strength to the resistance.

The atmosphere was exceptionally good.

The only thing missing was slaughtering a rooster and burning yellow ritual paper in this dark alley to become sworn brothers.

Cheng Qianfan knew nothing of what was happening on He Guan’s side.

Had he known, he would have cursed furiously and beaten He Guan senseless.

He Guan admired heroes.

He possessed a simple and sincere desire to join the tide of resistance against Japan, and he had already bravely put that desire into action.

That was something to be pleased about.

However, his methods were extremely immature.

He Guan might be a good police officer.

But he utterly failed to understand that resisting Japan was an undertaking that demanded immense seriousness, immense caution, and immense endurance in the face of cruelty.

Revolutionary action was not a children’s game.

Nor was it a matter of imitating heroes from adventure novels.

It was brutal.

People bled.

People died.

Perhaps He Guan did not fear death.

But the immaturity of his actions doomed the future of his anti-Japanese group to bleak prospects.

Moreover, the three men who had become “sworn brothers” in that alley were, frankly speaking, difficult to describe.

After finishing the wontons, Cheng Qianfan accompanied Xiu Gongshen into the study.

Cheng Qianfan recounted what He Guan had told him regarding the rumours circulating within the Central Police Station that Cheng Qianfan would become chief inspector of the Third Patrol Division, as well as the resentment Vice Inspector Ma Yishou felt toward the matter.

“Do you think you are capable of serving as chief inspector?” Xiu Gongshen suddenly asked.

Cheng Qianfan was quite surprised.

He did not understand why Xiu Gongshen would ask such a question.

Could it be that Xiu Gongshen supported his obtaining the chief inspector position?

Inwardly, Cheng Qianfan shook his head.

Xiu Gongshen was far too shrewd and calculating to be so shortsighted.

Anything Cheng Qianfan could see clearly, Xiu Gongshen would naturally see as well.

He did not answer immediately.

After thinking for a moment, he shook his head and said, “No. One year too early. What a pity.”

Xiu Gongshen nodded in satisfaction.

His satisfaction stemmed not only from the fact that Cheng Qianfan had not been dazzled by the position of chief inspector, but also from Cheng Qianfan’s keen judgment.

It truly was a pity.

Had another year passed, or even merely another six months, then with Cheng Qianfan’s abilities, coupled with Xiu Gongshen’s support behind the scenes, Cheng Qianfan might very well have been qualified to compete for the position of chief inspector.